


The Glowing Trees

by Chowy



Category: The Lorax (2012)
Genre: Classic Oncest, Fantasy, Growing Relationships, Guardians - Freeform, Loosely based off of Tangled, M/M, Magic, Minor Original Character(s), My First Work in This Fandom, Oncest - Freeform, Original Species, changing, lots of easter eggs, original lore
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-12-19
Updated: 2017-05-29
Packaged: 2018-09-09 19:40:55
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 10,226
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8909485
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Chowy/pseuds/Chowy
Summary: Grotesque love was something he never thought would be thrown upon him. It just happened, and he was a bit scared. The Lorax had said he had powers, he had never actually proved that. Until, slowly the Onceler had begun to chop down trees, picking up pace the more popular they grew. The Lorax warned him, told him bad things would happened if he went on. But the Greedler only ignored these warnings. He slowly turned into the greedy man he was now, changing his more casual formal attire into a more brash green suit and striped tie. He had forgotten about his old self, the nicer better self. Until, that nicer better self showed up at his door step, and the Greedler found himself on the biggest adventure of his life.





	1. The Other Me

"Who are you? Who do you think you are?" Greedler asked, staring at this lost traveller who had showed up at his doorstep. But this traveller was no ordinary traveller, it was him. It was an exact replica of him, or what used to be him. 

"I'm the Onceler..." The other him said softly, seemingly scared. "I got lost...and I need somewhere to go..."

"And you show up at my door? Right, you're a fraud. What did you want out of this? Money?" Greedler asked, walking forward, causing Onceler to step back. 

"No! Nothing like that at all. It's just...he said you could help me," Onceler said. 

"He? Who's he?" The Greedler asked. 

"Don't be alarmed Greedler," said a voice from behind. The Greedler turned sharply, spotting the Lorax. 

"What are you doing here? I told you to leave!" The Greedler said, gritting his teeth and tightening his jaw. 

"This guy," the Lorax said, ignoring the Greedler's comment. "Is you. The you that still had some kind of humanity left. I figured you could learn somethings from him," the Lorax said. "And learn you will."

"No, I want him and you gone. There will be no other me's but me, understand? So get this, copycat, out of here!" The Greedler said, grabbing the Lorax by his wrist and dragging him to the door, kicking him out through it. The Lorax stood quickly and dusted himself off. 

"If you want this Onceler gone, you must take him deep within the forest and return him to where he was created. Do this before a week is up and he will be gone. But fail to do so, and he will be stuck with you," the Lorax said. The good Onceler looked at the Greedler, who stared back. 

"You aren't really going to get rid of me...are you?" The Onceler asked. 

The Greedler didn't reply. "The...deep part? What do you mean the deep part? The dangerous part? I'm not going if it's dangerous!" he told the Lorax, staring down at him. 

"Then you'll have another Onceler around for awhile then. You have a week, use it well," the Lorax said. Before Greedler could ask another question, he blinked and the Lorax was gone. 

"You really aren't going to get rid of me right?" Onceler asked. The Greedler sighed and pointed his twisted finger inside. "Just get in here. I'll decide what to do with you in a bit."

"Shouldn't I get to decide what happens to me? I am me after all," the Onceler said. 

"I'm also you, so I also get to decide," the Greedler said. 

~~~

Onceler awoke to Greedler stuffing different necessities into a satchel. 

"What are you doing?" He asked, looking up. 

"Getting ready to head to the forest," the Greedler said. "Or, into the deep part anyway. I want you gone."  
The Onceler got up. He ran a hand over his hair to fix his bed head. 

"So you really want to get rid of me...you barely even know me! Please don't make me go..." He begged, grabbing Greedler by his sleeve and tugging. Greedler turned and looked at him. 

"I don't want another me around, so we're going and we're fixing this problem," the Greedler said, putting his sunglasses on and the satchel over his shoulder. "Come on," he said. The Onceler stayed put. "Let's go Onceler!" He snapped. 

"No! I'm not going! Why should you decide what to do with my life?" He said. 

"You've only been alive for a night," the Greedler said. The Onceler looked away. 

"Look, I've got a week to get you back. In that week, I'll make it the best week of your life, alright? Now let's please go," the Greedler said. 

"No, I refuse," the Onceler said. The Greedler's jaw tightened. He grabbed Onceler under his shoulders and began to yank. 

When he got halfway out the door, the Greedler grew tired and dropped the Onceler. The Greedler sighed and turned away, pacing. He thought, and pondered, and puzzled. He eventually got an answer. 

"Onceler, did you know in the deep forest...there's this special thing the truffula trees do every night when the moon is the highest. They glow, they glow like stars in the sky. It's more beautiful than anything you'll ever see in your lifetime," he said. 

"Really?" The Onceler asked, turning to look at him. 

"Yeah! If we go, I'll show you! It's the most beautiful thing you'll ever see! You'll only see it if we go," the Greedler said. That was a lie, the glowing trees didn't exist. He would lead Onceler to the heart of the deep forest and then leave him, he'd be gone. 

"Wait, this is a trick, isn't it? You just want to get rid of me," the Onceler said. 

"No no no! This is real! I promise! In fact, just to prove it to you," the Greedler went into his bag, pulling out a key. "I'll give you the key to my factory, and you can keep it until I show you the lights," he said. 

"Why do you have the key?" the Onceler asked. 

"Being a person in high power, you learn not to trust anyone," he said. He dropped the key into the Onceler's hand. 

"Alrighty then, guess I can't argue. Let's go!"

~~~

Traveling through the forest was okay. Onceler made friendly banter, and made it obnoxiously happy. 

"Wanna play a game?" The Onceler asked. 

"No," the Greedler said. 

"Alright! I spy something fluffy, pink, and tall-"

"Truffula tree," the Greedler said. 

"Okay, your turn!" The Onceler said. 

"No thanks," the Greedler said. 

The Onceler sighed. He looked over at the Greedler, who took out a golden watch from inside his suit pocket. 

"Why are you so high-strung and snobbish? I'm you, surely there's some part of you that's not a stick-in-the-mud," the Onceler said. The Greedler sighed. 

"Fine, fine, if it'll shut you up. I spy something annoying, tall, and-"

"You?"

The Greedler stopped and glared at him. The Onceler laughed, only he stopped when they broke through the tree line, revealing a field of logs, and logs, and logs. Stumps without trunks, rotten grass and sluggish water. 

"W-what the...what happened here?" He asked. The Greedler kept walking. 

"Hey! What happened?" The Onceler asked. 

"Progress," the Greedler said. "The progression of mankind,"

"The progression of mankind? That involves hurting things?" The Onceler asked, following after him. "Did you do this?"

"Who else?" The Greedler asked. "I'm apparently the bad guy."

The Onceler went quiet, finally. They continued their travel in silence, and Greedler wondered if the Onceler was still there. He looked back to see, and saw him holding Pipsqueak, a small barbaloot. 

"Where did you get him?" He asked. 

"He just kind of, tagged along. Can he come with us?" The Onceler asked. The Greedler sighed, but muttered a "fine."

One more hour, and they had found it. It was a wide open cave that went down into darkness. It seemed to breath, having eyes that looked like a predator watching it's prey in the dark. 

It was the entrance to the deep woods.


	2. The Persian Cat

"And you're sure the glowing trees are down here, right?" The Onceler asked. The Greedler gave him a nod. 

"I can't see anything," The Onceler said. 

"There's light up ahead," The Greedler said. 

There came a squeak from Pipsqueak, a very loud squeak. 

"It's okay," The Onceler whispered to the bear, which had pressed it's head into his chest and shut his eyes as if frightened. The Onceler stroked his head, whispering words of comfort to him. It was disgusting to The Greedler. 

He stepped out into the light, The Onceler close behind. It was so...different than the truffula trees. 

Because the whole world here was...like another dimension. Orbs of light drifted lazily around, the trees were more neon colored than the ones back home. There weren't the normal animals, there were strangely marked deer and weird looking rabbits. 

"Come on," The Greedler said as he began to walk through the long grass. The Onceler looked unsure. 

"Is it safe?" He asked.

"I'll, keep you safe," The Greedler said, the words tasting like poison on his tongue. The Onceler pressed himself closer to The Greedler, and as uncomfortable as he was, The Greedler put an arm around him. 

The Onceler smiled. Pipsqueak slowly climbed to rest on The Greedler's shoulder. The Greedler sighed. Just a few more days, than everything would be back to normal. He'd go home, and live out the rest of his life with no thought of this. This memory would just die in the back of his head. 

"You may want to be careful," came a voice. "He doesn't like it when people get that close to his den."

The Onceler jumped at that voice, but Greedler kept his calm. He looked around. 

"Who are you?" He asked. There came a laugh. "It is not who I am, it is, how good do you taste?"

There came a loud growl. 

~~~  
It was no ordinary tiger. It had a black pelt with glowing stripes and eyes, and two teeth jabbed out of it's mouth like a saber cat. 

The Greedler slowly put his arm around the Onceler again. 

"Don't. Move." He said. He met the feline's gaze, feeling his heart stop in his chest. He slowly took a step back. The big cat followed with it's pupils. Another step. It slowly took a step forward. 

There came a loud SQUEAK. Pipsqueak ran. He ran as far as and as fast as his little paws could carry him. 

"Wait no! Pipsqueak!" The Onceler called, breaking from the Greedler's grasp and running after the small bear. 

"God damn it!" The Greedler yelled, and he ran too, hearing the pounding of the cat behind him. 

"Run run run!" The voice called. 

He slid to a halt and almost fell over the cliff that both Pipsqueak and the Onceler had stopped at. He looked behind them. The tiger was slowly creeping, ready to pounce. 

"Hold onto the bear," The Greedler said. He looked across the cliff at the other side, a path clearly marked. He looked down into the valley. A broken bridge and a skeleton laid down there with an empty bottle. 

"You may wanna use that vine," the voice said. The Greedler looked up, spotting a vine dangling on a tree. He grabbed the Onceler, who was holding onto Pipsqueak. 

He jumped, but there was no way he was grabbing the vine. He realized that the second after he had jumped. The Greedler's heart froze. He felt the cat's claws sink into the tails of his jacket, but only to have it's weight released when it's claws passed through them like a knife in hot butter. The tiger fell. 

The Greedler shut his eyes and kept his hand out. He was surprised when a rope like thing met his palm. He looked up. He had caught the vine some how. He swung, and let go in just the right time to hand on the other side on his back. 

He was winded for a second before regaining his thoughts and air. He sat up. 

"Y-you guys okay?" He asked, rubbing his head. The Onceler looked up. 

"Super-duper," he said. Pipsqueak gave a thumbs up. The Greedler looked back at the vine now hanging from a branch. It didn't make sense. He shouldn't have caught that vine, it just wasn't possible. 

And yet...

And yet he had done it. He had reached out, begged that the vine came to him, and it worked. The vine was in his hand. 

He looked back at the Onceler. 

"Let's, keep going," he said. The Onceler gathered Pipsqueak in his hands, placing him on his shoulder. 

"Come on," the Greedler said. 

~~~

"I'm telling you, we've been here before," the Onceler said. 

"No we haven't," the Greedler said. 

"We're going in circles," the Onceler said. 

"How would you know? You've never been here!" The Greedler said. 

"And you have?"

"Obviously! If I'm taking you to the glowing trees!"

The bickering made Pipsqueak's head hurt. He hated their fighting, it sounded like children fighting over a toy. His head hurt and so did his belly. He sighed. He barely ate in the normal woods, thanks to Mr. Greed over there. He was terribly hungry now. And thirsty, there was barely clean water in the normal woods. 

Pipsqueak tugged the Onceler's shoulder. He looked at him. He pointed at his mouth. 

"Are you hungry?" The Onceler asked. Pipsqueak nodded. 

"Greedler he's hungry. Can't we stop and rest?" The Onceler asked. 

"No," the Greedler said. 

"But he's hungry! And," the Onceler paused before continuing. "And I'm hungry. I'm sure you're hungry too."

The Greedler turned to face him, a look of annoyance plastered over his face. "Fine, we'll eat. Where do you wanna go? I'm sure this grass tastes excellent! Let's get take out, take out grass!" The Greedler said. 

"You don't have to be so rude about it!" The Onceler said. "You're so conceited!" 

"And you're so-"

"Hey! Ya'll hungry?"

It was the same voice from early. The same voice that had told the Greedler to reach for the vine and warned them of the tiger. He turned, spotting a grayPersian cat. A corner of it's ear was chipped, and both eyes were a wild yellow. She was standing on her back legs, her front paws perched on a log. 

"Come on over! I got food!" She called. 

The Onceler began walking, but the Greedler stopped him. 

"It could be a trap," the Greedler said. 

"Well if it were a trap, then this lil' ones already trapped!"

Both Onceler and Greedler turned to spot Pipsqueak laying on the log, munching on a piece of black and white bread. He looked absolutely thrilled. The Onceler broke from Greedler's grip and walked over, kneeling down so he could be somewhat on the same level as the cat. 

"You have food?" He asked. The cat nodded. 

"And potions and spells and other magical trinkets," she said. "And you and your boyfriend look like you've had a beaten of a day."

"Oh we're not dating," the Greedler. "We're not even close to friends."

"That's a shame," the cat said as it took out a bottle, beginning to put random plants and dirt inside of it. "By the looks of it you two look like a couple, with all that bickerin' you were doin'. Heck could've fooled me." The cat put it's paws over the bottle and a puff of purple magic erupted from it's paws. There was a red liquid in the bottle. 

"This simple mix will cure your hunger and your thirst," the cat said. "Or if you want, I got a cool trinket here that'll make hunger less frequent, or if you'd really like-"

"Do you have a map?" The Greedler asked. 

"Why of course I do! Where would it be you're goin'?" The cat asked, disappearing behind the log. 

"To see the glowing trees! Greedler said he'd take me," the Onceler said. The cat looked up. Greedler froze. 

"The glowing trees? Darlin' if that ain't a date I don't know what is," the cat said. The Greedler rolled his eyes. The cat put a map on the table. 

"Now you're here. You wanna get there," the cat pointed at a giant tree in the middle of the map. "That's called the church of these woods. It protects all of us and our magic," the cat said. 

"Magic?" The Onceler asked. 

"Course, one of ya's gotta have magic of some type, or else ya'll wouldn't have been able to get in here." 

The Greedler frowned. 

"Anyway, to get there, you're gonna need a trinket from an old witch, she lives in the little hut in the swamp. If you need a pitstop on the way, there's a little tavern just beyond the swamp," the cat said. "Trust me, ya'll will need it." She handed the map over. 

"Ya'll go on ahead, I wanna talk to Mr. Greed here," she said. The Onceler looked at the Greedler. "I'll wait for you over here," he said. The Greedler nodded. 

Once Pipsqueak and the Onceler were gone, the cat floated up to the Greedler's face, squinting as she looked into his eyes. 

"Get away from me," the Greedler said. 

"Hon', you're not taking him to any glowing trees, are you?" She asked. The Greedler didn't answer. "You wanna get rid of him. Boy let me tell you something," the cat said. She floated back behind her log, tossing out bottles and potions and trinkets. 

"That young man you're with? He's a gem, a real good soul he is. And if you go and muck him up, if you break his blessed heart," the cat looked up at the Greedler. "I will personally shred you myself. Lies are no good Mr. Greed, especially when it comes to feelings," she said, holding a trinket. 

"Is that all?" The Greedler asked, trying to force her words out of his head. 

"No, that wasn't what I wanted to talk to you about," she said. "Hold out your hand."

The Greedler hesitantly held out his hand, and the cat dropped a necklace into it. It was a wooden charm, carved to look like a ring with a purple swirl of magic inside of it. 

"A good luck charm," the cat said. "Cause honey, you sure as hell are gonna need it."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey everyone! Sorry this took so long! Luckily I got some of my spark back for writing this, I hope you like this chapter!


	3. The Witch's Hut

He did end up wearing the charm. The cat's words made it sound important. Pipsqueak was finally quiet, sleeping on the Onceler's shoulder. 

The Onceler had gotten food from the cat. A whole load of the black and white bread. 

"Cures hunger and thirst," the cat had said. "Mama Cat makes it best."

They had stored it in the Greedler's satchel, which was rather handy. 

Pipsqueak slept on the Onceler's shoulder, though he couldn't fully sleep for the fear of falling off. 

The Greedler led the way, studying the map the cat had given them. Onceler didn't question him, he just travelled in silence and kicked stones. Onetime one kicked back. It didn't hurt, just caught him by surprise. 

He was looking at the ground and the dark green grass when suddenly the Greedler stopped. The Onceler bumped into him. 

"What? What is it?" He asked. He wrinkled his nose. 

"What's the smell?" He took Pipsqueak off his shoulder and walked up beside the Greedler. 

"It's, the swamp," the Greedler said. The Onceler looked at that forest. 

There was thick black mud slathered like hot tar. It was on the trees, which were wildly overgrown and looked depressed as their branches hung down into the mud. A thick fog traveled over the mud, and there were faint whispers and echoes, almost like ghosts. 

"Take off your shoes and socks," the Greedler said. 

"Why?" The Onceler asked as the Greedler began to slid his shoes off. 

"They can get stuck," the Greedler said. He took his socks off and rolled them together, but them in his satchel. The Onceler did the same. The Greedler took of his hat and pushed the top in. It collapsed into a more storable object. He dropped it into the bag. 

"I didn't know it could do that," the Onceler said.

"Surprise, surprise," the Greedler said. 

"How can your bag fit all this stuff?"

"It's bigger on the inside," the Greedler said. He slowly began walking again. "Hold your bear tight."

The Onceler followed after him, straying close to him. 

"It smells awful," the Onceler said. There was suddenly a sizzling sound. The Greedler grabbed the Onceler's hand and pulled him to his side, a sudden burst of fire erupting from the mud. 

"Well that was an adventure it's self," the Greedler said. "You wanna put Pipsqueak in the bag?"

The Onceler gently put the small bear into the satchel. He squeaked, but didn't object. He knew it was probably safer for the both of them. 

He kept closer to the Greedler, feeling safer being beside someone else. 

The Onceler suddenly paused. "Something grabbed my foot."

"It's just your imagination, nothing can live in this," the Greedler said. 

"No I'm being serious! Something gr-AH!"

The Onceler was suddenly pulled to the ground, disappearing under the thick mud. It swallowed him quick. 

"Onceler!" The Greedler yelled. He got on his knees, clawing through the mess. He didn't find him however, nothing but mud, rocks, and a few worms. 

There came a loud gasp. Greedler turned around to spot the Onceler break out from the ground, gasping panting. The Greedler stood quickly and began to trample towards him, the mud slowing him down. 

The Onceler went under again. 

"No!"   
He looked around wildly. There was no other sign of him. 

"Use your magic..." rasped a voice. It wasn't the cat, it sounded like an old woman. 

"What magic?! I don't have any magic!" The Greedler yelled into the nothingness. 

"Fool! Use your magic or you both will die!" 

The Onceler broke the surface again, gasping again. "G-Greedler!"

The Greedler grabbed his arm, though he himself was sunk into the mud as Onceler was pulled back down. He pulled, but the Onceler was unrealistically heavy. 

"Your magic!"

He shut his eyes. 

Something hot suddenly erupted below. He felt something inside of him open, like there was a release of energy. He tugged at the Onceler, who was now lighter. He pulled him to the surface. 

A giant, snake like thing was clamped to his leg, and it yanked again to try and pull the Onceler back into it's home. 

The Greedler involuntarily shot a hand out. The same hotness from before exploded onto his hand, and to his shock, fire came screaming out from his hand and onto the snake. It screeched and let go of the Onceler, recoiling back into the mud. 

He stared at his hand. 

'H-How did I do that?' He thought. 

The Onceler was still on edge, lightly crying and still gasping. 

"Hey, hey," the Greedler said, slowly standing with the Onceler still curled against his chest. "It's gone, it's okay now..." he whispered. 

"It tried to kill me!" The Onceler muttered. "I couldn't breathe..."

"I know," the Greedler whispered. "I know, but I saved you. It's okay...I have you now..." though he wasn't too entirely fond of holding the Onceler like this or comforting people in general, he knew how near-death experiences were scary and probably scarring. 

"Th-thank you for saving me..." the Onceler muttered. 

"Of course..." the Greedler said. It felt odd really, out of character for him. Another question was the fire he had cast. How was it there? How did he do that?

"Come on," he said gently. "Let's keep going...I'll make sure nothing gets you," the Greedler said. Still holding the Onceler, who was caked in dried mud, he kept walking into the mud. 

The mud slowly dried into solid ground, though neither attempted to put their shoes back on.

"I don't get it..." the Greedler said. "It should be right here...why isn't it here?" He asked, looking around the clearing. 

"What isn't here?" The Onceler asked. 

"The witch's hut," the Greedler said. He sighed and went into the satchel. He took out his shoes and socks, tossing the bag towards the Onceler so he could get his. He slipped them on and looked around. 

"You stay here, I'll be back," the Greedler said. 

"Please be careful!" The Onceler said as the Greedler slowly walked off. He looked around. 

"Hello? Is anyone here?" He called. There came a soft laugh, a childish laugh. Except it wasn't happy, it was a mischievous laugh that sounded possessed. 

He turned sharply. "Hello?!"

"Didn't your mother ever teach you to not play with dead things?"

He turned sharply again as something grabbed his ankle. An undead thing, by the looks of if a human, was laying out from a hole, grabbing at him. 

"Don't worry, they can't get out. This place used to be covered in Black Blood, but it dried up, now mother lives here."

He turned again. "Who are you?" He asked. There came a sound, like rope being strained on. He saw two orange eyes watch him from the dark. 

"Who are you?" He asked again, more softly. He approached with caution. 

A small skeleton, probably once a child, was sitting on a swing made of vine. He was shivering, his bones making a rattling sound. 

"Don't know who I am, but I'm cold..." he said. "Got no skin..."

"I see...do you know where the witch's hut is?" The Greedler asked softly. 

"Mother's home? Hidden, no bad people can find it," the skeleton said. "I won't show you, you're a stranger, mother said to never talk to strangers..." 

"Stop it! He's like us Shelly!"

The Greedler turned. Another child, a boy with an underbite from an iron jaw came running from behind a tree. "He's not a bad person!"

"How do you know?" Shelly hissed. "You've never met him!"

"Jessie can tell..." the jaw-boy said. 

"What? Listen I just want to-" The Greedler stopped as a little girl's voice whispered in his ear. 

"He's one of us."

He turned, slowly backing up. A pale ghost girl floated behind him, her eyes torn and her hair in wild positions. "He's safe."

"Come with us! We'll take you to mother's hut!" The jaw-boy said. He took the Greedler's hand and began running, laughing as he did so. 

"Hey! Wait! I have a-woah..."

The Greedler watched the jaw-boy slowly kick a rock. It grew to the size of a house. It wasn't a normal house, it was primitive. Stone walls and a dirt ceiling. 

"Careful...mother doesn't like vistors," the ghost girl whispered. The Greedler turned back to look at the children. They were gone, though he could still hear their laughing. He slowly approached the hut, knocking on the wooden door. No answer came. 

He went inside. 

The place was crawling with spiders and roaches, empty bottles and bowls scattered in pieces across the floor. He could smell something awful coming from a cauldron that was overflowing with dark green gunk. 

He heard a chanting come from the next room over. A short old woman with wiry gray hair was hunched over a cauldron. 

"The devil strays here..."

She turned, looking at the Greedler. "You!" She hissed, pointing at him with a twisted finger. "Come here!"

Scared halfway to hell, the Greedler obligated only out of fear. She pushed him to a table, sitting him down and then sitting on the other side. 

"Show me your hand demon!" She hissed. He held out his left hand. "Your other hand!" The old crow growled. She grabbed his right hand and tour the glove off, slamming it down and looking at it. 

"Palm, palm," she said. "Palm lines are doomed, doomed for damnation..." she shook her head. "No good..."

"What?" The Greedler asked. "Damnation?" He asked. 

"You are the one the prophecy spoke of, the devil that came walking with an angel..." she hissed. "But will the angel take you to heaven? Or will you drag the angel down to hell?"

"I have no idea what you're talking about.." the Greedler said. The old woman snarled and reached for his neck, grabbing the trinket the cat had given him. 

"The cat gave you this, didn't she?" She asked. She smiled. "Such a good kitty..." 

"Is she your cat?" The Greedler asked. The witch nodded. "It will protect you...but your power will only continue to grow...water against a weak dam...ooh wait till it explodes!" The witch cackled with glee. 

"Power? What power?" The Greedler asked. 

"You do not know? Your demonic power! The powers given to you for your greed! Such greed...such greed...powers and greed...oh what a time that will be!" The old witch kept laughing.

"Right..." the Greedler said. "Anyway, I need the trinket for-"

"The glowing trees," the witch said. "Just as the prophecy said." She went into her cupboards. "Tell me," the witch said. "Why didn't you let him drown? The Onceler?" She asked. "You want him gone, right?"

The Greedler paused. "I couldn't just let him die!"

"Yet you're trying to get rid of him.." the witch said. "Lies, lies, lies, he always stuffs his head with lies...ooh yes, this is good, this is very good..." the witch said. She took a trinket from her cupboard. It held a pink gem in it. 

She put it around the Greedler. "You may enter the church with safety," she said. 

"Uh, thanks..." the Greedler said. "This has been fun, but I gotta go..." the Greedler said. He slowly began walking out. The witch waved him goodbye. 

Once he left, she cackled to herself and went to her brew, looking in at broth. She swirled her finger, a picture of the Greedler with the Onceler emerging. 

"The Lorax was right, he is the devil..." she whispered with delight. "Soon enough..." she said. "Soon enough...."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry this takes so long guys. I hope this was worth the wait!


	4. A Little Bit About Me

"Hey, what happened?" The Onceler asked as the Greedler walked back. He seemed shaken, pale, almost like he was a bit startled.

"You look like you saw a ghost," the Onceler said.

"I practically did," the Greedler said. He sighed. "It doesn't matter. I got the trinket," he said. The Onceler stood up and walked over to him, taking the trinket and rubbing it with his thumbs.

"Amazing," The Onceler said. He smiled at the Greedler.

"Shall we go?" The Onceler asked. The Greedler nodded and picked up his bag, slinging it over his shoulder. "You got your bear?" The Greedler asked. The Onceler nodded, Pipsqueak revealing himself from under the Onceler's vest.

The Greedler began walking, the Onceler following him. 

~~~

The swamps took form into a forest again. It was slowly growing dark, but the Greedler didn't seem to care.

"You know," the Onceler said. "I don't think you're as stuck-up as you give off you are."

"Really?" The Greedler asked, though his tone was sarcastic.

"Yes," the Onceler said. "I think you're more, happy than this."

"The only time I'm happy is when my wallet is full," the Greedler said.

"You see, that's not true," the Onceler said. He walked closer to the Greedler. "You're a better person than that. Surely there's something besides money that makes you happy."

"Not really," the Greedler said. "Well, no. I like cigars. And whiskey." 

"Okay..." the Onceler said. "Not exactly what I meant, but it's a start. Surely you like your mom and dad, right?"

 

"Yeah, but they don't exactly make me happy," the Greedler said.

"What? They're family! Why don't they make you happy?" The Onceler asked. The Greedler didn't respond. "We should make camp," he said.

"What? What about my question-"

"Camp," The Greedler growled. Startled, the Onceler didn't ask him about it anymore. He simply followed the Greedler's orders.

~~~

The camp wasn't even a camp. It was a fire and a blanket laid out. 

The Onceler nibbled on a piece of bread. He looked up at the sky. "The stars are pretty," he said. The whole world around them came to life. A few plants glowed, there were wisps of light in the air, and everything had a soft halo of light to it. Everything but the trees. 

"Why don't the trees glow? You said they glow," the Onceler said. 

"No here, farther in," the Greedler said. He laid back on the blanket beside the Onceler, holding something in his hand. He shoved it into his mouth and went into his pocket, taking out a golden lighter. He lit whatever it was in his mouth. The Onceler squinted.

A Cuban cigar.

The Onceler laid back. His head was by the Greedler's legs, and the Greedler's head was by his feet.

"Oh and uh, sorry." 

"Huh?"

The Onceler looked up, surprised. Did the Greedler just, just apologize to him? That was a bit out of character for him.

"I'm sorry," the Greedler said. "For yelling at you earlier." 

"It's okay," the Onceler said. "That's out of character for you."

"What?"

"Apologizing," the Onceler said, watching the stars twinkle in the sky.

"Oh, well, yeah. I do apologize sometimes. I'm not a prick all the time," the Greedler said. 

"I knew it," the Onceler said. 

"About earlier," the Greedler said. "When you asked me if anything made me happy. Yeah, something does-well, did."

"Oh?" The Onceler asked.

"A girl, her name was Norma. Curly ginger hair, thin, lovely girl. Began dating her right as I became big. Figured, 'ah what the hell.' I was happy for a bit, asked her to marry me. I got her a diamond ring, and she said. It made me happy, seeing her so happy," the Greedler said.

The Onceler didn't answer. He shut his eyes. There was a terrible pain in his chest. Not a psychical pain, but something else. Like his heart was twisted in a knot and had been yanked out. What was wrong with him? Was he, upset? Why was he upset? What did it matter if the Greedler was engaged to someone?

"Then as I grew, she began to complain I didn't ravish her enough. I recall that night, 'You just buy things! When was the last time you kissed me? Hell when was the last time you even touched me? Do I really disgust you that much?' I said something like, 'No, I'm just trying to provide for you. Don't you like all those things I buy you?' This went back and forth for awhile. Finally she took the ring off, threw it at me, and left. Never saw her again." The Greedler blew a smoke ring.

A strange feeling washed over the Onceler. He was horrified. It was relief. He should feel bad!

"I'm sorry to hear that," the Onceler said. 

"No, don't be," the Greedler said. "I was so happy that night. I did everything, I went out all night, I went to clubs, got drunk, hell I think I even fought someone. Had a terrible headache the next day. Guess I didn't love her anymore."

"Do you have anyone that makes you happy now?" The Onceler asked.

"Eh," the Greedler said. "I mean, you're keeping me company." The Onceler smiled at that. 

The Greedler on the other hand, sighed. He rubbed his face. He was growing attached to the Onceler wasn't he? And when the time came, when he finally was going to dump him in the forest, take his key and go, he was going to feel guilt and go back for the Onceler. 

But it was most definitely not love, just a friendship, barely even a friendship. 

"Yeah, family isn't really on the list," the Greedler said. "I like them, but I'm not stupid. When you have power, your tend to shut people out and realize things you didn't realize before."

"Like what?" The Onceler asked.

"Like, my brothers used to beat the living shit out of me, and my mom did nothing," the Greedler said. The Onceler gasped. "And I mean it was bad, they'd break my bones and throw shit at me, they gave my black eyes and bloody noses, hell one time they almost broke my jaw."

"That's awful!" The Onceler said.

"Yeah well, I thought they were just playing with me. So when they were sleeping I poured glue into one of my brother's hair. Mom didn't like that. Locked me in my room, then she began to cut my brother's hair away," the Greedler said. He began to laugh. "It was the greatest moment of my life, seeing my brother in tears. I decided I should punish my mother for being so hard on me, so I cut up all of her dresses." The Greedler was still laughing, a tear sliding down his face. "Oh god she HATED me."

The Onceler laughed softly. It wasn't that funny in all honesty.

"Once I had a sister, but then I pushed her down well, and another time I decided I hated the color of my house and I burnt it down. I was a little hellion, my father had to leave for a couple of months in fear I was going to harm him. My aunt came to beat some sense into me," the Greedler said. He sneered. "Oh she learned I was in charge...but then I got therapy, and became the family punching bag again. All the drinking wore it off I guess."

"You were troublesome," the Onceler said.

"Yeah..." the Greedler said. "My dysfunctional family."

He blew another smoke ring.

"Where'd you learn to do that?" The Onceler asked.

"Taught myself," the Greedler said. He felt the Onceler's leg shiver.

"Oncie, are you cold?"

"Oncie?" The Onceler asked, shooting up and looking at him. "Who's Oncie?"

"Fine then, Onceler. You cold Onceler?" The Greedler asked, sitting up on his elbows to look at the Onceler.

"Yeah..." the Onceler said. The Greedler patted the space beside him. "Come here."

The Onceler slowly moved, laying down beside the Greedler. He looked at the Greedler's face with a polite smile. 

"Hey," the Greedler said. He looked amused. His breath smelt like cigar smoke and alcohol.

"Hi," the Onceler said. The Greedler wrapped the Onceler in a small hug. He was just keeping the Onceler warm, just keeping him warm for the night until they found that tavern. 

"Get some sleep you," the Greedler said.

"Night Greedler," the Onceler said. 

"Night Onceler."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys! Here's the next chapter! Sorry it's kind of short, I'm trying to get some more bonding time between Oncie and the Greedler. The next chapter will be more interesting, I promise! 
> 
> Thank you all for the kudos and comments! They mean the world!


	5. Fire

They were up and traveling before the dawn. 

"Where to now?" The Onceler asked.

"To that tavern, that's our next step," the Greedler said. He studied the map, glancing up every now and again. The path was narrowing, which wasn't a very good sign.

"Are you sure we're going the right way...?" The Onceler asked.

"Of course...that's what the map says," the Greedler said. He sighed.

There came a long pause, and the Greedler checked to make sure the Onceler was still behind him.

He was nibbling on a piece of bread, looking off into the trees as they walked.

The path came to a stop. 

"Shoot...." The Greedler said. "Hold up."

"What?" The Onceler asked. He saw the path.

"Oh no..." he said.

"Don't worry...we'll think of something..." The Greedler said. He began to pace, trying to think.

Pipsqueak climbed down the Onceler's leg, sniffing the air. He sensed something....danger? But he couldn't hear anything, or smell anything. So why did this area make him so uneasy? Perhaps it was because each step was an unknown world...yes that must be it.

But then he saw the movement within the trees and yelped, climbing back up the Onceler's leg and hiding behind his neck.

"What is it?" The Onceler asked. He looked around, suddenly freezing.

Hundreds of eyes were watching them.

"Greedler..." he said softly. "Slowly walk this way." 

The Greedler stopped and looked to him confused, before spotting the eyes himself. He slowly moved towards the Onceler, walking slowly.

"T-they're...all around us..." the Greedler said. He slowly gripped the Onceler's hand. 

They began to make noise, insect like sounds. One hopped down from the trees. It looked primal...a half insect-half man combination. It held a spear made of wood and stone, and wore a mask. 

It made a hissing sound like a saccade and walking towards them, jabbing it's spear. 

"Greedler..." The Onceler whispered, his hand tightening around the Greedler's hand.

"Just stay calm..." the Greedler said, pressing his back against the Onceler's back. More leapt from the trees, surrounding them.

"No sudden movements...just stay calm..." The Greedler said, trying to look at all of them. "Stay calm..." 

But they came closer, and suddenly the Onceler yelled.

"Onceler?!" The Greedler asked, turning abruptly and seeing the Onceler fallen to the ground, gripping his side. It bled furiously, and one of the creatures had blood on its spear.

"Onceler!" The Greedler said, falling to the Onceler's side and placing his hands on him. "Just...hold on...I'll get us out of this mess..." 

Pipsqueak climbed to the Greedler, hanging onto his back. 

The Greedler turned at more hissing, the creatures were closing in.

There was no way out.

"No..." He muttered. "I can get us out of this...I can get us out of this..."

The emotions within him built up, every thoughts a fuel to fan the emotions. They were building against the weak dam in his head like a river. But a river wasn't the right word to describe what was going on within him. His emotion wasn't...anything he recognized before. 

It was wild and full of fury...but also passion and ambition. It was strange, it filled him with a warmth he had never felt before. The more the situation sunk in within his head, the more if fueled the emotion. He could feel it build and build and build...

Like fire.

He turned, and the moment he did, one of the creatures lunged. But he involuntarily flew his hands up. A wall of fire erupted from the ground, the emotion within him burning into his hands. He couldn't think, or take in that he had just done what he had. The emotion had clouded his brain with smoke. 

The insect being screeched as it burned. The rest lunged, and he swirled his hands around to surround himself and the Onceler in a protective wall. It swirled and grew, he held the flames as they grew higher to protect them both.

Pipsqueak watched in awe. He had seen magic before, the Lorax could do it on occasion. But it was nothing compared to this, this was....this was huge. It was a magic that was stronger than the Lorax's. It could be called on command and be built up in such power it made every hair on his pelt stand on end.

He looked to the Greedler, who's eyes were no longer his own.

They were green, and bright with fire, the fires of protection. 

As the flames grew higher, the Greedler's hand moved to which every side faltered. They seemed to glow at the palms of his gloves, small sparks flying from his hands to the flames.

Finally, after what seemed to be forever, the Greedler's eyes slowly died away to his blue ones. The flames died down to reveal scorched corpses, some still writhing.

He stared at his hands in shock.

"D-did I just do that...?" He muttered, his eyes wide. He shook himself from his daze and turned to the Onceler.

"Onceler! Hang on! It'll be okay...I just...I..." The Onceler was barely conscious, his eyes faltering. 

There came a familiar face, a friendly one.

"Well now...that sure was a show you put on! Never saw magic like that! You gave even the Guardian a run for his money! No wonder he picked you!"

The cat smiled as she drifted lazily down to the Greedler's side.

"No time! Fixed him!" The Greedler hissed.

"Hold your breath," the cat said. She raised her paw and flew it down. 

Smoke surrounded them, followed by darkness.

~~~

The Greedler woke with a massive headache. He rubbed his head and looked up. He was on the floor of a tavern.

The tavern.

He sighed in relief and fell back.

"It's closing time anyway," the cat said as she drifted lazily behind the bar. "Winston!" She called.

There came a small boy, his hair a shaggy brown. He wore overalls and a dress shirt, but no shoes or socks.

"Keep the front doors locked! This is important!" The cat said as she cleared a table.

Winston nodded and ran to the door.

"Winston...?" The Greedler asked. 

"My son," the cat said.

"Your SON? You're a cat!" The Greedler said. 

"Nothin's impossible," the cat said. She pointed her paw to the table.

"Put him here," she said. The Greedler slowly picked up the Onceler and set him on the table. 

"Alrighty then," she said and she pushed his shirt and vest up, revealing a terrible gash in his side.

"Oh dear...oh my...don't worry sugar, we'll get you up and running again." 

She put her paws together, summoning a ball of light within her paws, pushing it against his side.

There came a light pitch, and the ball stuck.

"That'll heal 'im...but it will take somethin' else...somethin' stronger than my magic..." she murmured. She looked to the Greedler.

"Your magic!" She said. "You need to finish the spell."

"I don't know how to use magic! I barely understand what I did back there!" The Greedler hissed. The cat's lip curled.

"You need to! He needs this or he will die!" She hissed. She grabbed his hand and placed it against the ball of light.

"Do you want him to die?" She spat.

"I don't know how!" He growled.

"You don't care!" She hissed. "You aren't even trying!" 

"I don't know HOW!" 

There came a loud BOOM as a ball of light shot from his hand and caused the ball of light to explode over the Onceler's side. Light in the form of web came grew over the Onceler's side. 

The wound was covered.

The cat grinned. "Sorry hon', had to get the magic out some way."

The Greedler looked at his hand, rubbing it. 

"You must be way over your head...poor thing..." the cat said as she floated up to the Greedler's side. "Tell ya' what, you and your friend are dead tired, and your friend is in no condition to travel. Stay here...I'll give ya' lessons in magic and answer all your questions, you can rest up. In fact...I could use your help around here. You could wait tables and help with dishes and cookin'," the cat said. 

The Greedler sighed. He wasn't one for doing things. He had a staff to do that for him. Doing housework and stuff like that wasn't for him. He'd take doing work for his business over housework any day.

"Come on...the dwarves aren't that bad," the cat said.

"Dwarves?" The Greedler asked.

"Merry bunch, full of stories and song. You'll like 'em...maybe even learn a few things from 'em." 

The Greedler looked down, and then to the Onceler.

"Alright..." he said reluctantly.

The cat smiled.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> IM SO SORRY THIS TOOK SO LONG! I finally figured out a good plot for this story to follow! I hope you enjoy it. Thank you for all the comments and kudos, they mean everything!


	6. Water

"No no no! Stop it! Don't do that to the forks!"

The dwarf laughed as the Greedler came across the room, taking the fork from him. "You're going to dull it!" He put the fork down and raced towards another one, taking the plate from him. "Stop it! You're going to break it doing that!"

He was disgusted by how the dwarves ate. They ate with their hands and wolfed down their food, they didn't care for manners, and they shouted.

"So Kitty, what's with the scrawny blif?" One of them called to the back as the Greedler sat down. Winston ran out from the back holding two other mugs.

"Blif?" The Greedler asked.

"Dwarf slang for prick," Winston said as he passed him. The Greedler sighed.

"Yeah! He looks like he hasn't gone an inch of muscle on him!" Another called.

"You're all rude," an elf said from the corner, going back to his flute playing.

"He's the rude one, he is!" Another dwarf said. They all roared to this.

"Well if you all didn't do what you did, I wouldn't be so-"

The Greedler ducked as a plate flew over his head.

"Did you hear that? Princey said we're in the wrong!" One dwarf stood up. 

"Blunt the forks!" He said and he threw forks over the Greedler's head. He ducked again. Winston smiled as he stoked the fire and stood, running to the back room, calling for his mom.

"Burn the mugs!" Another said standing up.

"Mash the glasses!" There was a steady rhythm building.

"Pour the wine out on the fire!" They were SINGING. They all broke out into song as they began to toss the different silverwares and plates and mugs around the room to the back room, where Winston caught them and dunked them into a tub of hot soapy water.

They sung of all the terrible things they were to do as they cleaned up. 

"Smash the plates on the floor!"

"Soak syrup on every door!"

"Turn the tables over!"

"Push the crumbs onto the rug!"

"And everything else, hide it under the house's lug!"

"For that's what the Prince hates!"

One dwarf picked the Greedler up by his collar and others came to join him, hoisting him up.

"For that's what the Prince hates!"

They all laughed and threw him down. 

The cat came out with a smile. 

"Ay Kitty!" A dwarf said as he raised his mug as she passed. She smiled and nodded to them all.

"Hello Baron, Maron, Faron, Ellie, Mellie, Sellie, Crowley, Lowley, Calley, Zolf, Bolf, Tolf, Trinton, Hrinton, Qrinton," she kept listing names. Then she passed the only elf in the corner. "Chronicalas," she said.

She came to the Greedler and helped him to his feet. "Ya'll met Prince boy? Gosh, can't leave ya'll alone for one minute without singing!" She smiled.

They all roared and raised their mugs. The Greedler huffed.

"Go check on your friend, I got this lot," she muttered into his ear. He nodded, happy to get away from these dwarves. He headed into the other room, where the Onceler was lying. 

Except he wasn't lying, he was sitting up and sighing.

"You okay?" The Greedler asked, coming in and sitting next to him. 

"Yeah..." he said. "Sorry...I didn't mean to get hurt."

"Don't apologize for something out of your control," the Greedler said. The Onceler smiled at him, but looked away as awkwardness ensued from the silence. 

"I...uh, I saw your magic," the Onceler said. 

"Oh yeah," the Greedler said. "I didn't know I could do that, it just kind of...happened. I can't really explain it."

"I thought it was pretty cool," the Onceler said, looking back at him with the same smile the Greedler thought was completely...cute? He didn't know how to describe it, it was such an odd description. It was lopsided and looked strange, but it suited the Onceler. 

'Do I really smile like that?' He thought. He smiled back. 

"Thanks," he said. The Onceler looked away once again. "I uh...yeah."

The Greedler bit his finger. "How's the wound?"

"Better, thanks for healing it," The Onceler said. He looked back at the Greedler. The Greedler smiled at him, getting a small smile from him in return. It was getting tense, a strange sensation started to build within him. 

It wasn't sexual, most definitely not. It was a fluttering feeling, like butterflies, like he was light and floating. But it was also like going down the hill of a rollercoaster, exciting and horrifying at the same time. 

The Onceler looked up with a smile and laughed a bit. 

"What?" The Greedler asked. 

"You're making it snow," the Onceler said. The Greedler looked up and smiled. Soft snow was falling from the sky onto the bed and ground, the little flurries turning the air in the room cool.   
"Oh...well how about that..." the Greedler said. The Onceler looked at his face and gasped slightly, and then laughed even harder. His face was pink, a pink that stood out against his pale skin. 

"Greedler your face! It's pinker than a rose!" The Greedler touched his face. It was hot to the touch, he was surprised. The Onceler pressed the back of his hand to his face. 

"For making snow you sure are warm," the Onceler said. He then laughed. "Well, I have your coat here," he said, and he grabbed the green suit from the bedpost and gave it to the Greedler. 

The Greedler slid it on. "Well, I better go...I'm not sure how to get the snow to stop," the Greedler said, looking up at the ceiling. 

"I like it," the Onceler said. The cat slowly knocked. "Am I interrupting?" She asked. 

"No," the Greedler said as he stood up. "I was just leaving." The Onceler wanted to ask him to stay, but he decided against it.

"Well goodness, you made it snow," the cat said. She slowly waved a paw and the snow let up. 

As the Greedler left, the cat sat next to the Onceler. 

"Y'know, ya'll say you aren't a couple, but you sure act like it," the cat said. 

"No...he's getting over a...divorce? I don't know what it was but, he's getting over some past relationship," the Onceler said. 

"But that doesn't mean he can't love someone else," the cat said. "I bet you this whole tavern, that he already likes you a lot more than he liked them."

"You think so?" The Onceler asked. 

"Honey I know his type. Stuck-up, money hoardin' peacocks. Arrogant and cocky, very full of themselves. If he made it snow around you, you must have a special place in his heart," she said. 

"Oh..." the Onceler looked away. "Why? What does snow mean?"

"Oh don't worry about it," the cat said as she pinched his cheek. "Now you get rest, you still got that nasty wound to worry about."

~~~

"So why are we by a river?" The Greedler asked. "Is this the same river from up top?" 

"Mhm," the cat said as she floated over the water. "Today, I'm teachin' you about the element of water."

"What?" The Greedler asked. He looked at the water foaming by his shoes, and then to the cat. She landed on a rock in the middle of the river. 

"Now my magic isn't as strong as yours, so don't feel limited to do as I do. As you have discovered Mr. Greed, you have magical abilities, gifted to you by the King Guardian," the cat said. 

"Guardian? You mean like the Lorax? There's more than one Guardian Of the Forest?" The Greedler asked. 

"Mhm!" The cat said. "Many more! And the greatest of them all, is the King Guardian. He chose you to be the next Guardian of the Forest." 

"He wants me to be a Guardian?!" The Greedler swallowed harshly. "But...but why?"

"Because he sees the potential you have," the cat said. "He sent the Lorax to teach you a lesson. That's what the Lorax does. He teaches lessons, while other Guardians tend to use more...violent means." She tapped a paw into the water. "Not actually a Guardian myself, but I've been around them long enough to know and study their magic. Now-"

"Wait-I can't be a Guardian." 

The cat looked up at the Greedler, an eyebrow raised. 

"Pardon?"

"I can't be a Guardian. Do you know what I'm doing to the trees in the forest above?" The Greedler asked. 

"It's not what we did, Mr. Greed, the defines us. It's what we plan to do to make-up for it," she said. "You're killin' the forest, yes, and you killin' the forest kills this world too, and to save our world, the King had to teach you the ways to protect, not destroy."

"So this, King, wants me to stop it, not the Lorax," the Greedler muttered. 

"The Lorax is there to guide you," the cat said. "He was the one who created the other Onceler."

"He made the other Onceler...this was all his doing, his plan..." the Greedler muttered. 

"Don't be angry Mr. Greed. If your home was in danger, would you stand idle and watch it be destroyed?" The cat asked. The Greedler didn't respond. 

Pipsqueak looked between the two of them before silent stepping away and pawing at the water. He had tagged along on this lesson to watch magic, not a conversation. 

"Now, as I was saying," the cat said. "There are different components to magic, but Guardian magic is endless. Witchcraft, sorcery, druidism, any magic you can think of. But I'll start with the four basic ones. These are what the apprentices learn. Fire, which you seem to be strong in, water, air, and earth," the cat said. She floated over to the Greedler. "Today, we will work on water."

The Greedler looked down at the foaming water. 

"Water, it moves with the wind, it embraces change, it can be violent or gentle, it all depends on what effects the water," the cat said. "Use the image of water to guide your hands and your body, it will allow you to embrace the element of water and let you do as you will with it."

The Greedler looked down at his hands. He moved them, unsure of what to do. 

"Watch," the cat said. She slowly went into the water, and slowly began to move her paws in a fluid motion, closing her eyes as she almost mimicked the small waves and the current. 

The Greedler watched as the water by his feet slowly subsided, and watched it slowly twirl around the cat, forming almost as shield around her. Then, her motions got violent, and the water slashed out, except it wasn't water. It was ice. Then, her movements slowly grew slower, and the shield turned to fog. 

When it cleared, the cat was gone. 

"Woah! That was incredible!" The Greedler said, looking for wherever the cat was. She floated from the trees. "Thank you," she said. "Now your turn."

The Greedler tightened his jaw as he looked at his hands, and then slowly began to move them in a fluid motion. He felt silly, feeling like he wasn't doing it right. 

"Close your eyes," the cat said. "Imagine the ocean, the waves and the undertow, image the streams and the rivers, the lakes and the swamps..."

He did so, picturing a river in his head, trying to hear the water running over the stones and the soft whispers of the current. 

Then came an emotion. A sense of happiness that could only be described as the feeling of frothy river foam rising in his chest. It was almost exciting, like he was racing against the undertow in a river, and he was winning. 

"You're doing it!" The cat said. The Greedler opened his eyes, startled by where he was. He had walked into the water, standing on a rock as water foamed up and around him. He felt the water splash him, and normally he'd be irritated by getting wet, but now, in this moment, he didn't care. 

"Hey, turn around," the cat said. The Greedler turned slowly, and water was dumped against his face. He squinted. 

A giant wave was formed behind him, just sitting there, ready to crash at his command. He felt the sense of happiness grow, and he grinned. He turned and pushed his hands forward. 

The wave went forward, except the water went around him, foaming and surging forward, churning the water and causing the river to look as though it has rapids. 

Pipsqueak was amazed, walking towards the Greedler but stopping at the foot of the river. He loved watching magic, it was such a phenomenal sight. 

The Greedler was drenched, soaking wet from his magic. But he was smiling proudly. "I can't believe I did that!" He said, pushing his drenched hair back into it's normal position. 

"Well believe it! Your magic is very strong, my guess from it building inside you so much," the cat said. "You're a fast learner!" The Greedler slowly walked to the shore. Pipsqueak clambered up his legs and onto his shoulder. 

"What do you think Pipsqueak? Like magic?" He asked. The bear made a high-pitched roar. The Greedler smiled. "Would have been useful for that little river mess we were in a few years ago." Pipsqueak nodded. 

"Well, there ya' have it Mr. Greed. Water magic. Tomorrow we'll go over air," the cat said. 

"Is there more to magic besides fire, earth, air, and water?" The Greedler asked. 

"Of course, more advanced things such as life, and then there's true mastery, which is light magic," the cat said. "Druidism and witchcraft are side magics, usually more concerned with alchemy and potions."

"Is there...dark magic?" The Greedler asked. The cat sighed. 

"There is...and it is a sin to all in the name of magic. Those who practice it walk dangerous roads, it's bad. Stuff such as voodoo and necromancy and terrible things like that," the cat said. "The witch, bless her soul, takes in the victims of dark magic and heals them with her potions."

The Greedler thought back to the witch, and the strange kids that lived with her. 

"But that doesn't matter. A Guardian doesn't need dark magic, so you don't," the cat said. The Greedler nodded, but he was still curious. What was bad about dark magic? 

"Anyway, let's head back, you're more drenched than a newt in a swamp," the cat said. "And besides, your friend will wanna hear about your lesson"

"Right! He'd love to see this," the Greedler said as he began to walk away. The cat watched after him. She flicked her ear as if she heard something. 

"Yeah, like you said. He's learnin' quick! He is strong...you already want to see him? Give him time to adjust, once he's learned all four elements, I'll bring him to you, I promise."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Shout out to all of you who caught the Creature Feature reference!
> 
> I put a Hobbit one in here, which is pretty obvious. Mainly it's there since when I wrote it I had a bit of writer's block, so I got through it by putting it in. 
> 
> I hope you liked this chapter!

**Author's Note:**

> Well, here's my first Onceler fic. It'll get better as time goes on, this is just me testing the waters


End file.
